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The present world is in a moral crisis and it seems as though educational institutions experience both challenges and
enormous behavioural problems. Statistics prove that there is a drastic decline in morals, values, standards, ethics, character
and behaviour and schools, where colleges and even universities seem to indulge in crisis after crisis. It is perceived that
behavioural problems such as substance and drug abuse, violence, theft, vandalism, bullying, aggression, immorality,
examination fraud, amongst others, are increasing among students. The goal of this article is to determine how college
students lives are influenced by involved role-players in character-development and in character-building. Value and
character education provides the building blocks for the inherent preservation of a healthy society. It is the art of life that
keeps the environment friendly, free and safe, allowing earths inhabitants to work, live and play together in peace. The
influence of relevant role-players and institutions with regard to values and character-developmentare likely to be able to
ensure the provision of a successful life and future for South African college students. The conclusions arrived at in this
research indicate parents, lecturers and other specific individuals to be important role-players when it comes to character-
development and character-building.
Keywords: character-building; character-development; college students; influence; institutions; involved role-players; South
African
Introduction
The values debate has a long history, which seems to arise whenever educationists and decision-makers struggle
with dilemmas associated with human rights violations, moral decay in society, and a lack of discipline in
schools (Nieuwenhuis, Beckmann & Prinsloo, 2007; Van der Merwe, 2011; Van der Walt, JL 2010). Common
questions that underscore the complexity of this longstanding debate still arise within the field, namely: what
values, whose values, which values, and who determines these values? (Notman, 2012). These perennial
questions continue to confront us (cf. Notman, 2012; Rens, 2005; Tyree, Vance & Mcjunkin, 1997). People
differ continuously regarding which values are essential for them, and values education and character education
should, therefore, be emphasised. Programmes were even developed worldwide for schools (also colleges),
because of the concern of peoples values (Lickona, 1991; Rens, 2005). Khanams (2008) studies pointed out
years ago that education is a moral enterprise, where the character-building of students is the pivotal goal of
education all over the world. Character education is, however, as popular as it is controversial (Lapsley &
Narvaez, 2006).
Moral education has an uneven history, despite efforts aimed at its improvement (Carr, 2010). Irrespective
of this uneven history and the above-mentioned questions about whose and which values ought to guide it,
human ethics and values are still a way of revealing the inner or genuine life of a person (cf. Khanam, 2008).
Education with regards to values is the most important element of moral education (Sayin, 2014). Character-
building and learning of ethical and moral values have been regarded as the first and foremost goal of education,
and many educationists have emphasised it (Khanam, 2008). The idea of education involving values and
character has elicited a great deal of interest in recent years and countries such as the United Kingdom, the
United States of America (USA), New Zealand, the Netherlands and Australia have held conferences on values
education in the shape of character-building programmes with well-defined policies (Arthur, 2011). Values and
education have been inseparable since ancient times, because the concept education has been defined to be much
more than the mere transferring of knowledge (Rens, 2005). However, most of the countries have therefore
decided to rather implement character-building programmes that promote so-called universal values (De Waal,
Mawdsley & Cumming, 2010). Certain researchers, authors and scientists (Berkowitz, 2011; Notman, 2012;
Rens, 2005) have expressed the opinion that the youth of today do not have the ability to make good value
judgments, and that they ought therefore to receive instructions and mentorship in these areas. However, values
are unique to mankind, and it is only human beings that partake in meaning ascribed to objects, the self, others,
the Creator and the world, as well as ideas, feelings and thoughts. Therefore mankind is essentially a creature of
values (Nieuwenhuis et al., 2007; Tirri, 2011; Van der Walt, JL 2010).
distinguish between what is right and what is is the fact that he presents a hierarchical description
wrong, what is good and what is bad, and what is of moral reasoning, instead of a model for moral
appropriate and inappropriate. In his early writings education and development. Even Lickona (1991)
on values and education, Heenan (2009) wrote that argues the focus to be on reasoning skills, rather
education had two main important aims: firstly, to than moral content. The most important criticism of
help students to master the skills of literacy and Rens (2005) against Kohlbergs moral theory
numeral arts; and secondly, to build good character. comes from a Christian perspective. Kohlberg
Consequently, it is not surprising that Heenan (1978) argues that the educator should be a neutral
(2009:3) made the following statement some years facilitator, who assists learners to reflect on moral
ago: while we New Zealanders can be justly proud dilemmas in an ever-developing way. According to
of many of our achievements, the reality is that Rens (2005), a Christian educator (or relevant role-
over recent decades, we have not been teaching and player) cannot educate neutrally, because the
replenishing those attributes of character that are learner is a child of God who, because of the fall of
essential for social cohesion, the maintenance of a man, leans towards wrong-doing. The researcher,
civil society and the preservation of a liberal dem- in agreement with Rens (2005), criticises the aspect
ocracy. Notably, with regards to New Zealands of neutrality because relevant role-players, as
curriculum, irrespective of the lack of research into indicated by Kohlberg, have to play an involved
the nature and effect of values, values are one of and interactive role in the character-development
the three pillars of the reformed New Zealand and character-building of students.
Curriculum. Values play a key role at the level of Studies in our own country that have dealt
school governance as well as the schools edu- with similar aspects of values, character, education,
cational philosophy and foundation for the school character education and values education were also
charter (Notman, 2012). Furthermore, there is an studied. These include, among others, Abdool
intensive report on how New Zealands changing (2005), dealing with the value-orientation of learn-
social values are impacting student behaviour, and ers in secondary schools. His didactic guidelines
how schools can meet the new challenges could be formulated for values education in South
contributing toward the character-building of African schools. Abdool (2005) also found that
students (Galloway, 2007). Heenans (2009) cornerstone values could quite
Lickona and Davidson (2005) note character easily be adapted for the South African context.
strengths as the combination of eight promising Challens (2008) deals with guidelines to implement
practices. In this programme, the focus is on ethical a character-education programme in secondary
behaviour, and it is thought that character education schools. In his studies, Challens (2008) mentions
will promote ethical behaviour among students, that character education is of cardinal importance
such as respect and obedience. There were for instruction and education, because it offers a
numerous attempts in the past to define character possible solution where it guides learners to realise
more precisely. Ones character is an indelible the difference between right and wrong, which is in
mark, because it points to something deeply rooted correlation with Heenans (2009) eight cornerstone
in the personality, which integrates behaviour, values; as well as to say no to aspects such as
attitudes and values (Lapsley & Narvaez, 2006). drugs, alcohol, sex, gangs and other social prob-
However, character matters immensely for Lickona lems, as mentioned in the problem statement. Rens
(2013) and in one of his latest writings and (2005) proposes guidelines for value education in
contributions, he aimed to help children develop South African schools, because of the worldwide
good judgment, integrity and essential virtues, and cry from societies to bring a stop to the decline in
he offered suggestions in the form of 12 points of values. Rens (2005) indicates that character-
gratitude towards parents for nurturing gratefulness development and character-building programmes
in children. Values, morals and education are often should be the ideal solution to stop the decline in
explained by means of the theory of Kohlbergs values. The focus should be on character-building
(1978) stages model, one of the significant theories programmes that concentrate mainly on values such
on moral reasoning in history (cf. Rens, 2005). as honesty and respect. These specific arguments
Kohlberg (1978) believes that moral development are in consonance with the title of this article. Llale
occurs through social interaction, and he (2003) proposes a model for teaching values to
demonstrates that people progress in their moral secondary school learners and teachers regarding
reasoning through a series of stages. In short, his traffic safety education. Although Llale (2003)
six stages of moral development are: (a) obedience worked on the traffic safety education, her study
and punishment orientation; (b) individualism and indicates that values play a positive role in
exchange orientation; (c) interpersonal relation- decisions one has to make for ones own life.
ships orientation; (d) law and order orientation; (e) Lepholletse (2008) discussed teachers influence on
social contract orientation; and (f) universal princi- the value-orientation of learners in secondary
ples orientation (Ellison, 2011; cf. also Rens, schools. To equip adolescent learners with
2005). Criticism against Kohlbergs (1978) theory sufficient knowledge, appropriate skills and
4 Freeks
positive values for them to achieve good involve- of anti-social behaviour into the classrooms and the
ment, especially in their different societies, Lep- playground (Galloway, 2007).
holletse (2008) argues that you have to focus on The family has to play an appreciably larger
value and character. There is, however, a value role in character education, and should act as moral
dilemma in South Africa and in the rest of the mentors in order to have an influence on character-
world, which is obvious in the prioritising of values development and character-building. The more
by certain groups and different people. Freeks children grow up in a family with strong values, the
(2007) deals with a character-building programme less their involvement will be in violence and
for further education and training at colleges. His dangerous behaviour, for example bullying (Ayeni-
study indicates that character education is one of biowo & Akinbode, 2011; Cunniff & Mostert,
the building blocks for the preservation of a healthy 2012; De Wet, C 2014; De Wet, NC 2010). The
society, and could probably help, in the values it reason why most of these learners suffer at
promotes, to remove evil from society and its institutions such as schools, colleges and
institutions. Therefore, character education must be universities, is because of problems such as lying,
taught in our educational institutions, where we are cheating, bullying, and others mentioned before.
responsible to teach the youth and young adults to These problems have prompted institutions to
be good citizens (Ellison, 2011). consider the teaching of good character (Helterbran
& Strahler, 2013). However, there are still gaps in
Problem Statement educational knowledge about values development,
The main aim of the study is to determine how especially in New Zealand schools, when it comes
college students lives are influenced by involved to the effect on student learning (Notman, 2012).
role-players in character-development and charac- The reason for the emphasis on New Zealand and
ter-building. the comparison between the two countries is that
The most important problems facing young values-education and character-building and
people across the world today include especially development are a core part of New Zealands
violence, gang-rape, parties where drugs and curriculum in recent years, which is not the case in
promiscuous sex are the order of the day, social South Africa. On the other hand, the situation in
problems and a lack of respect for each other and New Zealand is, in some ways, like the situation in
for the world around them (Engelbrecht, 2001; South Africa i.e. an increasing number of troubled
Georgiades, Boyle & Fife, 2013; Staff Reporter, and dysfunctional homes, anti-social behavior in
2014; Van der Merwe, 2011). Hence, it is impor- classrooms and playgrounds, continual disobe-
tant to determine how the lives of students might be dience and violence among students, etc. is the or-
influenced by these problems. On the aspect of der of the day. Studies done in New Zealand are
discipline, Ellison (2011) raised a critical point relevant to South Africa, and research in character-
noting that researchers have found a disproportion- development and character-building has been
ate minority representation among students on the particularly insightful and worth reviewing here.
receiving end of corrective disciplinary practices. Teaching and developing good character in
For more than 20 years, school discipline has been children has long been a goal of parents, teachers,
characterised as being a major concern of the relevant role-players and society, with the hope that
general public, especially in America (Ellison, values would carry on into adulthood (Helterbran
2011). Although children go through the same & Strahler, 2013). In Freeks (2007) study it is
stages of development, Ellison (2011) also clearly indicated that the school, next to the
indicated that childrens development may stop as parental home ought to play a major role in
determined by their moral environment. It is mainly character education and values education. Most
because of these destructive social problems that parents have ambitions for their children, including
parents, sociologists, political scientists and the development of important moral dispositions
worried citizens have begun to join forces in many (Lapsley & Narvaez, 2006). Character and values
countries to try to reverse a decay in values (Lovat, education are needed to address the gap and
Clement, Dally & Toomey, 2011; Nieuwenhuis et deficiencies in terms of inadequate values and
al., 2007). Scientists have been interested in under- norms in schools (Lessing & De Witt, 2011).
standing moral behaviour for decades (Khanam, According to Van der Merwe (2011), there is a
2008). In America, it is fundamental to raise chil- daily increase in violent behaviour among learners.
dren of strong moral character, especially as this In an erstwhile report in Rapport (Pretorius, 2006),
applies to character-development and character- in the supplement Perspektief, a worrying story was
building (cf. Lapsley & Narvaez, 2006). In New published, and the question was pertinently asked
Zealand, parents are unable to provide a home where have the parents gone?, where the violence
environment where children are safe, nurtured and among children at school has become a particular
morally guided. Instead, students from troubled and problem prompting this same question. According
dysfunctional homes are bringing practised patterns to this report (cf. also Berkowitz, 2011; Lapsley &
South African Journal of Education, Volume 35, Number 3, August 2015 5
Narvaez, 2006; Lepholletse, 2008; Rens, 2005), the parents on nurturing gratitude in children. He also
primary role of parents is to help their children stated that having a family discussion on gratitude
develop self-respect. For example, if a child has will instil its definition in children.
self-respect, he/she will express it at school through In New Zealand, an urgent request was made
his/her behaviour and will have respect for other to implement values in the curriculum because of
peoples time, relationships livelihood and the destructive social problems and behaviour of
property. If children go to school with a strong learners (Notman, 2012). The main purpose was to
sense of self-respect, the teacher does not need to influence their lives with regard to character-
use time to teach them manners. If a child has a development and character-building.
sense of self-respect, he will not steal the If societies in different countries around the
schools time by disrupting the class, fighting with world are experiencing the many problems they do
his friends, swearing and doing other improper as a result of the decay of values (Lovat et al.,
things (Berkowitz, 2011; Pretorius, 2006). 2011; Rens, 2005), one could not escape asking the
Disruptive behaviour usually interferes with the following question: what is the situation in South
instructional process by negatively impacting class- Africa?
room instruction. This behaviour moreover inter- In South Africa, newspapers such as the
feres with the learners own learning or the educa- Beeld, Star, Herald and others, are filled on a daily
tion process of others (Ellison, 2011). basis with reports about fraud and murder (Boqo,
An organisation named Brahma Kumaris was 2014a; Essop, 2013; Nel, 2014; Van der Merwe,
the seed for Living Values Education and began 2014), violence (Boqo, 2014b; Carstens &
offering a program for educators created by Zwecker, 2013; Joubert, 2014), theft (Boqo,
educators worldwide to help teachers with values 2014b), sex (Staff Reporter, 2014), divorces and
education of learners. These programmes, now drug smuggling (Otto, 2013), Satanism (Mestry,
offered by the Association of Living Values 2008; Olifant, 2014) etc. Schools, colleges and
Education International, enable learners, under the other institutions have serious problems when it
guidance of a trained person/teacher, to investigate comes to the behaviour of students and the values
12 universal values and to develop and influence that they espouse (Challens, 2008; Freeks, 2007;
learners character-development and character- Freeks & Lotter, 2011; Lessing & De Witt, 2011).
building (Living Values, 2005). These living However, these schools can have a remarkable
values-programmes are at present being influence on students lives with regard to
implemented in 67 countries around the world character-development and character-building.
(Living Values, 2005). The latest development was Crime, violence and the decay of values are
a strategy to teach character through the use of serious problems in South African schools and
Socratic seminaring, which is a form of carefully have enormous implications for the new democratic
planned discussions that offer teachers and relevant South Africa (Jansen, 2001; Van der Merwe, 2011).
role-players the opportunity to focus on those areas Discipline is a serious problem in schools, and the
of character education deemed critical to personal instilling and developing of this value does not
and even societal morality. The initial idea of the seem to receive priority, although we know that
strategy was to teach character to promote global this important institution can have a significant
citizenship (Helterbran & Strahler, 2013). influence in the lives of learners (Rens, 2005).
In the USA, Lickona, Schaps and Lewis Nieuwenhuis et al. (2007) are convinced that values
(2003) proposed 11 basic principles of effective education should be implemented at school level
character education some time ago, to guide and in tertiary education institutions. South
schools as they plan their character education. Africas situation is made more difficult, among
These principles include issues such as core ethical others, through the variety of population groups
values, developing good character, developing the and concomitant cultural differences, which play an
school as a caring community and the relationship important role in the value systems established
between character education and the academic among people. Even in a post-apartheid era, where
curriculum and evaluation. Many character- nation-building and democracy are lofty objectives,
building programmes in the USA have since been ethical and moral values ought to be firmly
built on this foundation to have an influence over established (Van der Walt, BJ 2010). The question
the character-development and character-building that now arises as to what is being done in South
of learners. Many such character-building pro- Africa with regard to this problem.
grammes have already been implemented at The present government, that came into power
schools, where positive results have been achieved in 1994, started a value education process in
(De Waal et al., 2010, Lickona & Davidson, 2005; schools as from 1999 (Dhai, 2008; Mangcu, 1999;
Proctor, Tsukayama, Wood, Maltby, Eades & Van der Merwe, 2011), but it is disappointing to
Linley, 2011). Lickonas (2013) latest contribution note that instead of an explicit focus on character
in the field of character education was his 12 points education, where the process is largely focused on
of gratitude, where he offers suggestions for nation building, democracy and human rights, with
6 Freeks
a purpose to overcome the inequalities and in- questionnaire was compiled as a means to obtain
justices of the apartheid system (Carl & De Klerk, necessary and useful information from the students,
2001; Van der Walt, BJ 2010). and according to the author (see also Abdool, 2005;
Social scientists and researchers agree that the Challens, 2008; De Vos, 2005; Lepholletse, 2008;
inculcation of the above values in South Africa as a Llale, 2003; Rens, 2005) this method of
young democracy are important and urgent, and investigation is an ideal way to measure students
that value education and character-education value orientation, as well as to determine whether
programmes should be emphasised again (Freeks, persons and institutions have an influence on their
2007; Regan & Page, 2008). Values that promote lives. This method is simple, practical and feasible.
moral behaviour, values about work ethics, and The questionnaire consisted of three sections.
values aimed at realising peoples full potential, Section A dealt with demographic information,
must also receive urgent attention (Ferreira & section B with general life values, and section C
Wilkinson, 2009; Lessing & De Witt, 2011). covered specific values and the lifestyles of the
students. The demographic information included
Research Questions aspects such as the level, gender and mother tongue
A summary of the two questions investigated in of the student. Religious, relational, moral,
this article can be stated as follows: aesthetic, economic, and cultural values were
What influence toward character-development and included in the general life values (section B).
character-building can people and institutions have Every life value in the questionnaire was described
on the lives of students? on the basis of indicators that corresponded to the
What is the role of involved persons and/or factors determined value. The respondent was also
in terms of character-development and character-
required to indicate the importance of the value in
building in the lives of students?
his/her daily life (i.e. how important each of the
Purpose of the Research following values are (A) for yourself (B) for the
The purpose of the investigation was to determine other students in the college?), where 1 = not
how college students lives are influenced by rele- important at all; 2 = not really important; 3 = of
vant role-players and institutions contributing role average importance; 4 = fairly important; 5 = of the
in the context of character-development and utmost importance. The student was, in addition,
character-building. required to share his/her opinion on how important
he/she considered the value (i.e. to what extent do
Research Objectives each of the following persons or institutions
Specific objectives of the study are: influence your life? (now and/or in the past)),
To determine the influence with regard to character- where none = 1; little = 2; average = 3; large = 4;
development and character-building that persons very large = 5; as well as to what extent the student,
and institutions have on the lives of students; and at the time of questioning, was the type of person
To determine what the role is of involved persons he/she would like to be, where not at all = 1; a little
and/or factors associated with character- = 2; in a way = 3; completely = 4. The specific
development and character-building in the lives of values and lifestyle habits covered by the
students.
questionnaire included aspects such as smoking,
Research Methodology alcohol use, drug use, sexual activities, Human
In this article, the research design is embedded in a Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune
quantitative approach. According to De Vos (2005) Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) etc. (i.e. how
(cf. also Freeks & Lotter, 2011) the use of quanti- often do you smoke? 1 = not applicable; 2 = now
tative approaches is effective in undertaking this and then; 3 = regularly, how often do you use
type of research. alcoholic liquor? 1 = never; 2 = 1-2 times per
The empirical information was gathered by month; 3 = 1-3 times per month; 4 = almost daily).
means of a questionnaire and the questionnaire had Rens, Rossouw, Rossouw and Vreken (2005)
been used before, in a larger research project by the designed the questionnaire and the validity and
author (Freeks, 2007). A questionnaire was com- reliability can therefore be determined by reference
piled (cf. Freeks, 2007) to determine the influence to the fact that it had previously been used to
that certain role-players and institutions played in determine the value orientation of students at a
character-development and character-building in particular university and learners from a specific
the context of students lives. This questionnaire high school. The questionnaire also clearly indi-
was mainly used as a sort of management cated that students names would not appear
instrument in the value orientation of students. The anywhere on the document, and that all information
questions in the questionnaire are discussed supplied would be treated in the strictest confi-
separately. The age range of students was not a dence. All negative information about the college
determinant factor, on account of the fact that and the students or lecturers would also not be
students of any age could register at a Further divulged outside the institution.
Education and Training (FET) college. The
South African Journal of Education, Volume 35, Number 3, August 2015 7
A pilot study was first conducted among 15 campuses. It was necessary, however, to draw a
students to determine whether the information ob- convenience sample where seven of the 11
tained would yield the desired results before the campuses were chosen for the study. The reason for
researcher distributed the questionnaires among the this were both practical and financial in nature, and
students, which it was found to do. also because travel between campuses was pro-
hibitive.
Population From College A four campuses participated,
The college the participants attended was and from College B, two campuses participated.
established in terms of the new FET Act and From College C, one campus participated. The
declared as a FET College on 25 September 2001. seven campuses (see Table 2) have a total of about
The college is one of three public FET Colleges in 2,000 students, as the author determined tele-
the NorthWest Province. The college consists of phonically from the campus managers. Only 840
five campuses, and provides education and training students participated in the study, due to the
within the FET guidelines consisting of levels 2-4 absence of many students during the period of the
programmes on the National Qualification Frame- study. The reachable population on the day that the
work (NQF) as well as the South African Post study took place was therefore significantly smaller
Secondary Education (SAPSE) 190/191 (National than the estimated 2,000 enrolled students at the
Education) programmes. relevant colleges.
The college offers courses and programmes in
all the fields of FET, but the majority of courses Table 1 Number of participants per college
fall in the fields of Business Studies and Engi- College N %
neering Studies. The best-known courses and pro- A 650 77.38
grammes are in the fields of Business Studies, and B 130 15.48
these fields have the largest enrolments and are C 60 7.14
responsible for most of the income of the college. Total 840 100
However, the field of Engineering Studies also
generates sufficient funding (Vuselela FET Coll- From Table 1 it is clear that College A had the
ege, 2005). largest number of students in the study group the
The population consisted of all the students of reason for this is because four campuses partici-
the three FET Colleges in the North West Province pated in the questionnaire. At College B, two cam-
(see Table 1). The three colleges together have 11 puses participated, and at College C only one
campuses. College A has five campuses, College B campus participated in the study.
has three campuses, and College C has four
In Table 2 it is indicated that the researcher colleges with the request that the study could be
obtained a good response with the questionnaire undertaken at the particular campuses.
study in A1, A2, A3 and A4. In the case of A1, a Once permission was obtained from the CEOs of
good response was probably obtained because the the different colleges, the researcher remained in
contact with the campus managers.
researcher had been a lecturer at the particular
Appointments were made with the different campus
campus. The only two campuses where the re-
managers to inform them about the nature of the
searcher could not administer the questionnaires study as well as the underlying objectives of the
himself, as a result of problems with leave, were study.
campus C and B2. On these two campuses, the For two of the seven campuses, viz. Campus C and
response rate was very low. Campus B2, the researcher was obliged to send the
questionnaires to be handed out by the lecturers to
Procedures be completed. The researcher himself took the
The following procedures were followed in this questionnaires to the remaining campuses on the
study: given dates to have them filled in under his personal
The researcher first of all directed letters to the supervision.
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the specific
8 Freeks
From Table 3 it emerges that persons such as to students lives. It therefore amounts to the fact
the mother (4.34) and the father (3.47), brothers that parents, specific persons and lecturers are the
and sisters (3.71) and lecturers (3.29) had a large to most important role-players when it comes to
very large influence on character-development and character-development and character-building.
character-building in the lives of students according Furthermore, 24.97% of the students said that
to their own perception. A specific person (4.31) the lecturers had no/little influence in terms of
such as a pastor, boyfriend or girlfriend also had a character-development and character-building,
fairly large to very large influence on character- 30.98% said that teachers had no/little influence in
development and character-building when it came terms of character-development and character-
South African Journal of Education, Volume 35, Number 3, August 2015 9
building, and 30% felt that the father had no/little did their work well and in particular, saw to it that
influence in terms of character-development and character-development and character-building re-
character-building. ceived due attention.
From the finding it emerges that the role of Furthermore, 25.88% of the students indicated
the father is very low in comparison with the that the parental home had no/little influence on
mother, brothers, sisters and a significant other. character-development and character-building, and
In terms of institutions it emerges that the with regard to the church, 30.86% said that it had
parental home (3.41), primary school (3.53) and no/little influence on character-development and
high school (3.79) have a reasonably large to very character-building in their lives.
large influence on character-development and cha- In Table 4 the students responses are
racter-building in students lives. This amounts to summarised, with regard to the question as to who
the reality that the parental home played a less or what had contributed to what they are today. The
important role than did the school. During the percentage indicated is an addition of the four
primary and high school period, the teachers clearly aspects: large and very large, none, and little.
Table 4 The role of involved persons and factors on the character-development and character-building of
students
Average
None Little Reasonably Large Very large Rank
weighting
% % % % % order
out of 5
a. God/a higher spiritual force 3.87 3.22 7.47 12.37 73.07 4.48 2
b. Parents 1.91 2.42 6.11 18.07 71.50 4.54 1
c. Teachers 6.40 12.00 28.53 30.67 22.40 3.51 4
d. College lecturers 2.22 3.66 10.72 17.91 65.49 4.41 3
e. Yourself 9.84 24.12 33.02 21.02 11.99 3.01 8
f. Friends 20.24 21.32 31.31 16.33 10.80 2.76 9
g. Fate, coincidence, luck, accident 13.27 15.42 32.31 24.53 14.48 3.12 6
h. Specific teachers 14.39 15.64 30.17 25.42 14.39 3.10 7
i. Specific lecturers 15.58 15.30 26.43 25.03 17.66 3.14 5
home or family life should be regarded as important groups (gender, language and cultural groups, level
for students, because this is where prevention of of education etc.) can be built on the foundations of
students involvement in violence and dangerous this study, done in the North West Province.
behaviour can take place (cf. Cunniff & Mostert,
2012; De Wet, C 2014; De Wet, NC 2010; Helter-
Recommendations
bran & Strahler, 2013; Lapsley & Narvaez, 2006).
The following recommendations can be made em-
Students believe in general that the teacher and
other relevant role-players can make a difference in anating from the investigation in terms of im-
their personal moral development as students proving the present situation:
(Arthur, 2011). Character-building programmes should be devel-
The cornerstone values of Heenan are of great oped for all FET colleges in South Africa, so that
significance for the South African context (Abdool, character-development and character-building can
2005). have a greater impact on students.
From the investigation it also emerged that charac- Lecturers ought to be trained and equipped to offer
ter-development and character-building of the stu- character-development and character-building cour-
ses at colleges in an integrated fashion.
dents could be used fruitfully in effecting a positive
Moral values should constitute a large part of cha-
change in the values and character of the students. racter-development and character-building at further
With regard to the research questions, the education and training colleges.
following was found: Colleges must make use of special programmes and
Role-players such as father, mother, brothers, sisters professional help (experts) to assist students.
and lecturers play an important role in terms of
character-development and character-building in the Conclusion
lives of students. From the study, the following general conclusions
Even specific individuals, such as a pastor, a can be drawn:
boyfriend or a girlfriend, can have a reasonably Value-addition and character-building can inculcate
important role in terms of character-development a positive attitude in students.
and character-building in the lives of students.
Apart from the role of the parents with regard to
At institutions it emerged that the influence of the value-addition and character-building, the role of
parental home, primary school and high school in the lecturer in FET colleges is indispensable for the
terms of character-development and character- student.
building was reasonably important to important.
Specific persons, such as, for example, a pastor, can
In looking at the role of persons and/or factors in the be as important a role player with regard to his/her
lives of students, it was remarkable that students influence in terms of character-development and
indicated that who and what they were came about character-building, which amounts to the cardinal
because of the role of God in their lives. importance of the church with regard to character-
development and character-building in the spiritual
Limitations lives of students.
With regard to the investigation, certain gaps and God is an essential and important aspect in the reli-
shortcomings were identified that can be addressed gious lives of students.
in future studies.
At campuses C and B2, where the researcher Final Word
could not undertake the investigation personally, a In this article the influence of people, institutions
low response rate to the questionnaire was achiev- and factors on character-development and charac-
ed. ter-building in the lives of college students was em-
Another possible gap in the study is that phasised. Character-development and character-
lecturers own value orientation was not deter- building can be seen as crucial and indispensable in
mined, and this could play a significant role in cha- the lives of contemporary youth.
racter-development and character-building. Their
opinions and attitudes with regard to character- References
development and character-building could prob- Abdool AD 2005. Die waarde-orintering van leerders in
ably have made a contribution in terms of deter- sekondre skole. PhD tesis. Potchefstroom:
mining the practical feasibility of a character- Noordwes-Universiteit.
Arthur J 2011. Personal character and tomorrows
building programme. The moral developmental lev-
citizens: Student expectations of their teachers.
el of the students was not determined, because it is International Journal of Educational Research,
a very comprehensive process to determine. 50(3):184-189. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2011.07.001
Information about this angle would have been of Ayenibiowo KO & Akinbode GA 2011.
great value for the project. Psychopathology of bullying and emotional abuse
Seeing that this investigation was limited to among school children. IfePsychologIA, 19(2):127-
FET colleges in the North West Province, the 141. Available at
findings cannot be extrapolated to all the FET http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewe
colleges in South Africa. A more comprehensive r?sid=3f9feaa8-497a-4b26-885c-
330d62505304%40sessionmgr198&crlhashurl=logi
investigation involving all the colleges, where a
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meaningful examination of all the different sub- host%2526scope%253dsite%2526authtype%253dc
South African Journal of Education, Volume 35, Number 3, August 2015 11